Just Beyond the Curtain
by Mable
Summary: A depressed and lonely Nine ends up overhearing Five confess his romantic feelings towards him while standing outside the Workshop. Confused and feeling surprisingly better than he has in some time, Nine must figure out how to react next; he must confront Five. 5x9


**Mable: Here's a 5x9 request fic for CGI Victreebel; I tried to fit everything in that you wanted and I will admit that I had fun writing this… Especially the second half. XD I don't own 9, Enjoy!**

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_**Just Beyond the Curtain**_

Nine and Seven were trying their hardest to get back to normal after everything that happened. Not simply the Incident, but the brief romance between them. Before the others awoke and they started searching to find them, Nine professed his love for Seven, and she outright admitted that she didn't know what her feelings were. Still they agreed to try a romantic relationship. By time the others were found, Nine decided to tell Seven that they weren't meant for each other, the warmth he had felt before was gone and he just didn't like her like that.

Now it was about a month later and they were staying in the Library together, all of the Stitchpunks. While Seven seemed to get over the event quickly, perhaps she believed that Nine was confused the entire time, Nine was not only feeling bad about what he did, but was starting to feel a bit depressed. The others noticed when Nine would sleep late and still go to bed early. Or when Eight would drag something in for Two to look at and Nine wouldn't be interested at all. Or simply the way he had grown quieter since the Incident.

Unfortunately they weren't as oblivious as he hoped. Even Eight had outright approached him and tried to bluntly convince him that Seven and he weren't a good couple anyway. Strangely enough Eight was the one trying to reassure him about relationship advice and Nine pondered if it was because of his own recent change in behavior. More so, how Six had started entering his room at night and not seen leaving until the next morning. Eight advice was good enough, but Nine didn't exactly feel better, because his depression wasn't flatly about losing Seven.

No, it was more about the fact that Nine knew he didn't have anyone else. There was only one female, he was still unsure about the twins, and if Seven wasn't her mate then that would mean that he'd have to go his life without one. Nine was a bit of a hopeless romantic, he wanted to have somebody else, but unfortunately fate seemed to take that away from him. So he spent a long while in this state of depression, contemplating why life was worth living and such, until something occurred to change all perspective.

Nine was heading down to his room to go to bed. It was a bit earlier than the others, but apparently they had a tiring day scouting while he himself lingered back with the twins and did little, so he had heard a few of them mentioning heading to bed as well. He drug himself down the hall tiredly before stopping outside the Workshop when he clearly heard the sound of speaking from inside. It was Two and Five, naturally, and Nine didn't want to listen in, but couldn't help it when he heard himself mentioned more than once.

"I know he has been distraught since Seven and he decided to end their relationship." Two spoke and there was an exhale from Five, "Well… I don't know… I can't get him to talk about it so I don't know anymore." Nine remembered that Five had attempted to talk and ask what was wrong, many times, but hadn't been able to get through to him. Nine hadn't wanted to voice out the truth and instead pushed his friend away. Now he felt a bit bad about it and exhaled sadly at the feeling.

"Did you ever tell him about, well, your own feelings?" Two discreetly asked and Five sharply inhaled, "Two, someone could hear you." He nearly scolded before doing what sounded like sitting down on a stool, "And…. And I don't think it would help. It would just make things… Complicated." Two made a soft hum, "I think it may help. Given how close it is to the current situation. It might be nice to have a little-." Nine strained to hear as Five suddenly spoke over the end of the sentence, "Really, Two, I don't think, I think he'd feel, well, strange."

He sounded embarrassed and Nine as confused. For the first time in a while, his curiosity returned, and even though he knew it was wrong he couldn't help himself from listening in. Two sounded sympathetic as he spoke, "Five, I am not sure if _you_ can keep going on like this. At least if you tried to tell him then there may be a chance. Back when One and I were alone I though he hated me, but couldn't deny my own attraction to him, and nothing changed until I admitted to him the truth. We may be… Quiet, but we are content."

Apparently Two and One still thought their relationship was secret. Even the somewhat naïve at times Nine knew exactly what was occurring. A small smile ghosted his mouth and he didn't manage to exactly grasp what Five and Two were saying until right then. Then at once he pieced it together, slowly, "He… Wait, he has feelings like Two has for One, and this… Why would this involve me?" Perhaps he was in denial because it wasn't until the clear words came out that he realized the truth.

"Nine's still upset because Seven and him aren't together anymore. If he knew how I felt about him it would just… He wouldn't trust me anymore… We wouldn't be able to be friends without him worrying that I wanted him to return them… I can't put Nine in that situation. I care about him too much, as a friend, to put him in that situation."

Nine felt a moment where there was no response before an overblown shock overtook. Five had just bluntly stated he had feelings for Nine, feelings like Two had for One, and they just happened to be secret lovers. The shocking part was that Nine had absolutely no clue. Not once had he ever even fathomed the thought that there was a chance that Five would have feelings for him. In fact, from the way they were talking, Nine expected that Five would reveal that he had feelings for Seven, and was scared that it would upset Nine.

Whatever occurred after that went ignored as Nine stumbled back against the wall by the curtain. Slowly taking in exactly what was occurring and trying to figure out his own reaction. All he knew was that there was this intense burning in his chest that rapidly rose into his face. He was blushing, but being a Stitchpunk it wasn't visible from outside. A small comfort but not enough to put him completely at ease. He was so confused and felt strange, trembling with the alarm of learning something so shocking, and at the same time he felt this strange feeling inside.

Maybe it was just feeling flattered that somebody was in love with him, Nine thought to himself, but he wasn't exactly sure. In fact, he stood there lost in thought until suddenly he was brought back to reality. The curtain opened and Two exited the room, probably to give Five some time to think, and came face to face with Nine. The two stared at each other. Nine wore the same alarm and Two gave a blank look in slow response. Then when response finally came it was a simple one. Two merely reached out, patted Nine's shoulder, and wandered down the corridor.

That was Nine's answer; he had to deal with this himself. Two couldn't help him, Nine had to confront Five himself, and he couldn't hide away like he had been doing recently. It just left the healer in limbo and he felt terrible about it. With that, he started to approach the curtain, better now than never. His pulse was so quick and his soul throbbed heavily beneath his zipper. He didn't know why he was so shaky, or why he felt so much like he needed to see Five; it was like this caused him to feel more alive than he had for a while.

He stepped through the curtain and Five was standing at the workbench, turning back to look at him. Nine was alarmed at how quickly Five covered up what had previously been clear sadness, as his voice had indicated. Apparently he thought that Nine had just wandered in and hadn't heard a thing out of the conversation. Nine forced a smile and Five spoke up, "Hey! How are you feeling?" Clearly he didn't expect to see Nine, perhaps was hiding that he too felt a little uneasy about Nine appearing that soon after the conversation.

"Alright, better than usual." Nine answered calmly enough, but suddenly felt surprisingly strange. His legs felt almost shaky and limp, like they were about to give in and send him to the floor. At the same time he still felt quite nervous and quickly tried to think of what he needed to say. Five was looking down at a sketch he was working on. Five wasn't an Artist like Six, but he had a steady hand and could draw just fine when need be, such as when he was drawing sketches for plans Two and him would be working on in the future. Perhaps the replacement Watchtower he mentioned.

Nine suddenly thought back to every night since he had fallen into his current rut. All day he'd try to stay alone, but in the evening Five and he shared a room, so Five would spend some time telling Nine interesting things. Unlike the others, Five still managed to get a clear smile out of Nine. He had mentioned plans for a new Watchtower, interesting books that the twins read, amusing things that happened, and just anything that would get a smile from Nine. Now Nine was relishing these memories and realized exactly how much it helped.

It was all because Five loved him and repeating this in his mind made Nine feel bizarrely good. He hadn't felt this good in a long time, perhaps forever, and he cracked a lopsided smile briefly before controlling himself. "Five… Could I ask you something?" Five put down the makeshift pen, that he had been dipping into a small bowl of ink, and turned to Nine. "Sure. What's on your mind?" He discreetly tried to wipe some ink off of his hands but ended up just rubbing the stain on both; Nine then realized he was trying to hide his nervous tick, the one where he rubbed his hands when he felt nervous.

Nine tried to stay calm and not indicate discomfort, "Let's say… I had a friend, who… Who had a deep secret that he didn't want anyone to know about. This secret was…" Five was paying attention but hadn't yet caught on. "Well these feelings are about… L-Love." His voice changed pitch at that and he cleared his throat, "Sorry, I don't know what that was, but anyway…So he's in love with someone and the person he is in love with figured it out. So now it's… Well, it's complicated, so what should I do?"

The Healer seemed to still not catch on and spoke, "Well, I'm sure that this person that you- That your friend likes will like him back… Even if it was someone who he had a confused relationship with before." Nine's brows raised and he realized that Five thought his story alluded to himself, apparently being in love with Seven. He corrected, "No, Five, when I said I have a friend I didn't mean me." Five seemed to understand with a soft 'oh' and 'sorry'. So Nine decided to get to the point, "Five, I have a _friend_ whose in love with someone who found out."

Five blinked and seemed to start to suspect the worst, so Nine finished, "Someone who found out when he was… Standing outside the curtain when my friend was talking to Two." Five's pupil seemed to take up his entire optic and he inhaled sharply, only to exhale immediately with, "What?!" Nine gave a small, lopsided smile once again and Five was beginning to panic. "Nine, wait, no! T-T-There was a miscommunication- a mistake- I don't feel that way, I swear, we weren't talking like that and I wouldn't say that about you! I promise, Nine, I would- I just- I-!"

He broke off and his breath quickened. He finally ended up just facing the workbench, grasping onto it, and Nine could clearly tell that Five hadn't wanted him to find out like this. He knew he wasn't mistaken, though, Five had clearly been talking about him. His horrified reaction was clearly because he thought that Nine was going to cast him aside because of his feelings. On the contrary, Nine just wanted to reassure him that this wasn't the case and slowly stepped forward, "Five, it's okay." He insisted and Five's hand clutched his forehead.

"Creator, I didn't want you to find out, and if you were going to I didn't want you to figure out like this." The words were rushed out in only a few seconds before Nine decided to make a move. He reached forward and put his hand on Five's shoulder. The warmth from the other's burlap made his hand tingle so he put the other hand on the other shoulder, "Five, I…" He felt his breath catch as he thought over his next movement. He didn't even think it through before it happened. He merely felt himself lean forward against Five's back, "I'm not upset. I'm not angry… I'm actually sort of glad. It makes me feel… I don't know."

He trembled a bit against Five and the Stitchpunk slowly straightened a bit, lowering his hand. Nine couldn't tell what Five's reaction to his admission was, but the quietness didn't exactly feel promising. Then Nine spoke once again, "Five… Maybe you could help me try to figure out what exactly… what's wrong with me. I'm not upset at you, but since I heard what you said I've been feeling strange… It made me realize that I've been acting like a fool. Moping around about something that I wasn't even that upset about for reasons that I don't even know."

He paused briefly before speaking, "I just, I felt strange when I heard what you said, and I still do…" He went quiet and waited for a response. Then Five spoke, "What does it feel like?" Five's voice was surprisingly low, heavy with a tone that Nine hadn't heard before, but he found himself growing warmer because of it. He paused before speaking, "I feel… I feel strange, like my legs are going to give out and like my pulse is really going fast." He paused before finishing, "I'm feeling warm too. Warm all over, especially inside my center…."

There was a pause and they stood there for about a few minutes before Five slowly started to turn around. Nine pulled his hands back and let them dangle lifelessly. Five's face was a mix of surprise and something else. He wasn't sure, but he believed he saw it before. When Five managed to make him smile, when they had fun together, and even after they reunited after the Incident, when Five awoke from the rain. Nine didn't know what it was, but he wanted it, and Five reached forward slowly. His hand brushed Nine's shoulder and took ahold, then the other hand did so as well.

Nine allowed Five to pull him forward and watched Five close his optic before his mouth brushed Nine's own. His warm lips rubbed over Nine's and Nine gasped at the mere feeling. It was so warm, so strangely warm and sweet, and then Five closed the gap and completely claimed his mouth as his own. His burlap was different than Nine's, rougher, probably from years of use, and yet slid over Nine's own, gently massaging into the fabric. Nine was confused, but felt quite nice, almost as though he was intoxicated.

He sighed in pleasure against Five, reaching up to grab Five's arms to keep them on him, insisting that they kept their mouths together. It last quite a few minutes until they decided to separate. When they did, they were both out of breath and small smiles took both of their faces by storm. There was a minute of silence where they both looked shy when Five spoke, "I think I… I could help the warmth. If you would let me." He looked a bit unsure, so Nine gave him his own confidence, "I think you can, Five."

With that, their mouths were together again, and Five was stroking over Nine's back and hips. Standing was awkward and Nine spoke up, "Five, maybe we should sit down or something." Five nodded slowly; he was acting like he was unsure, but his hands seemed to be certain, because they guided them both over to the medical cot. Nine sat down and pulled Five down with him, causing the other to nearly fall on him, and the two sprawled back upon the cot. Nine promptly began to release a playful laugh and even Five managed to relax enough to chuckle lightly.

He then lifted himself up, his hand holding him up while being planted onto the cot beside Nine's head. He leaned down to press their lips together again and Nine reached up, his arms wrapping around his friend's neck to keep him secure, and he couldn't believe how wonderful this was. He always felt incredibly good around Five, but this was strikingly amazing. He never imagined that he'd be doing anything like this with Five, he hadn't even registered these actions until today, and he had never felt so alive in his entire life.

Five loved him and Nine wanted nothing except to show the Healer how glad he was that he did.

Pressing together, mouths together, fabric touching, buttons touching his zipper, and then he suddenly realized he was growing very tingly in an odd place. It was inside his abdomen, under his zipper, and it continued to grow with every second until it went from warm to slightly pressing. He fidgeted a bit, "Five." He muttered against Five's mouth and the Healer pulled back. Nine explained, "Five, something is inside me, it felts strange and it won't stop."

Five looked alarmed at first and Nine didn't know why, but just as soon as the alarm came it went away. Instead he leaned forward, pressed his lips to Nine's, before speaking again, "Why don't I take a look?" His voice stays strong as he slowly unzips Nine's zipper, his thumb stroking the pull in his hand, Nine eagerly waiting for himself to be open out of the hope that he would get some relief. Then he was open and there was a light glowing, a green light, blaring in a color Nine had always loved.

Ever since seeing the rich green of a soul he had grown fond of it, but was certainly confused to why his was bluntly glowing, poking out of his body like this. It was like it was inflamed and it certainly felt overheated. Five's free hand was clenching and rubbing itself as though it wanted to touch Nine. Nine blinked at the realization before he spoke, "Five, could you…" He pause before blurting out, "Touch me?" With that, Five moved forward, his hand gently running through Nine's soul and causing him to gasp in alarm before releasing a short cry.

"Did I hurt you?" Five asked, but didn't seem too concerned, almost as though he had an idea about hat was occurring. Nine immediately shook his head, "No, just…. Please don't stop." With that, Five's hand slipped back into the soul, stroking the metal insides beneath the glow, and Nine felt his body shake as he cried out in pure pleasure. He had never felt anything like this before and it was absolutely spectacular. Five was clearly trying to not push Nine too hard, but Nine couldn't help but grab Five's form and use the leverage to push against his hand.

"Creator- Five- It's amazing!" Nine managed to force out in a choked gasp and Five answered by giving him a tender kiss on his cheek. The zippered male was overloading on the mix of soft kisses and tender pets, and decided that before he lost himself completely there was something he needed to do. He slowly coaxed Five's hand out, "Wait, stop." Now Five was concerned, "Did I do something wrong? I shouldn't have gone that far. I'm sorry." He babbled apologetically as Nine shook his head, "Five, no, you were doing great."

He reached up and touched one of the Healer's buttons, "Don't you want to know what it feels like?" Five seemed awfully hesitant, but nodded shyly, and slowly addressed his buttons. Nine knew that Five was self-conscious about everything involving his body so he didn't rush him. Five slowly opened his front and revealed his own, glowing light. It was the same color, nearly just as bright, and yet Nine found it incredibly more attractive than his own. He sat up and reached forward into Five, the male still holding himself open, and stroked inside with both hands.

Five groaned in obvious pleasure and Nine felt a spark of happiness as he realized that he had to be the only one who had touched Five like this, the only one Five pleasured, and he stroked the other's insides gently. At one point he did pull back briefly to ask, "What would happen if we put them together? Our souls?" Five paused before answering quietly, "We'd soul bond." The zippered one blinked, "What's that?" Five paused, seemingly surprised that Nine didn't know, and explained.

"Soul bonding is… Is when two Stitchpunks fuse their souls. It's mating. It's- sort of- the closest thing that can ever be done- It's something you have to think a long time about doing, about making sure that you know who you want to do it with."

"I want to do it with you." Nine announced and Five was taken aback, but Nine merely smiled confidently, "Please, Five. There's nobody else I'd want to soul bond with other than you. Please." He nearly begged and was answered by slowly being pushing onto the cot. Five opened Nine wider, claimed Nine's lips gently, and slowly lowered himself onto Nine. Nine's hands locked to Five's back as an overwhelming pleasure took over. It was greater than anything beforehand, it was sheer pleasure, overtaking and causing Nine to nearly yell into the kiss.

They had little rhythm as they grinded together uncontrollably, a mess of limbs and a mess of words, the light between them growing incredibly in only a short amount of time. Faster, stronger, swallowing soft cries as pulses of pleasure rippled into both forms from the same source; the one they were creating. Nine gripped Five's back tighter, his body beginning to shake and move without his control, and he felt an overwhelming pressure inside.

"Five I- I'm not- I don't know-!" He tried to force out, his voice a bit too loud while still not allowing him to make much sense. Five merely gave him another chaste kiss on the lips, as though signaling to him that it was okay, before murmuring out, "I love you." His voice sounded like he was beginning to exhibit the same pressure, barely able to keep it even, but he still managed to say that, and it made his body react much more than the soul bonding had; throwing him over the edge into a pit of nothingness.

Unrecognizable, white static covered Nine's vision as the pleasure overtook everywhere, he couldn't tell if he was shrieking because his audio receptors seemed to be filled with white noise. It seemed to last forever, never stopping, perpetual blankness with overwhelming ecstasy. Then it all dropped, vision came back, hearing came back, he dropped onto the bed beneath him gasping, and laid there limp as Five finished his own climax as well.

Afterwards was nothing more than exhaustion. Five moved to beside Nine and held his friend close, letting Nine's head rest under his own and petting as much of the other as possible. Nine merely pressed against his chest, against his still opened front, and tried to regain some bit of strength back. However, it was gone, and all that was left was his still unwinding thoughts. It had been the most amazing experience of his life and he didn't regret it for a second, especially not with Five.

"Five…" He murmured out in soft realization, "I love you too." He had earlier gave illusions to the fact, but this was the first time he had outright said it, and it was as though a heavy weight was removed from his shoulders. Five seemed to hold him a bit tighter and let his lips descended repeatedly onto Nine's neck and face. Nothing else needed to be said, or could be said because they were so exhausted, but they both knew that they would have the rest of their lives to talk. Nine was willing to give Five that, just as long as he had a few more minutes of this.

Two entered into the Workshop hesitantly. He had heard a bit of commotion and hadn't figured out what exactly had happened after the confession. He hoped they hadn't been fighting from the raising of voices. Instead he was pleasantly surprised to find the two curled into the medical cot together. He decided to leave them be with nothing more than a smile. He couldn't say he hadn't expected this. After all, he hadn't told Five everything that happened after his own confession; it was bound to happen eventually. He kept his knowledge to himself and clearly shut the curtain to give them peace.

_**FIN**_

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**Mable: I am currently working on a recent request for Lacey Vill so expect it soon! I hope everyone enjoyed!**


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